Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stark warning to the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cautioning that the party risks irrelevance in the 2027 general elections if it fails to urgently resolve its lingering internal crises.
Wike sounded the alarm on Monday during a media interaction at his office in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, where he criticised what he described as a lack of direction and responsiveness within the party’s leadership.
According to the former Rivers State governor, the PDP’s inability to confront its internal challenges head-on has severely weakened its capacity to reposition itself as a credible alternative ahead of the next electoral cycle.
“We have a leadership that is not focused. We have a leadership that does not know what to do and refuses to take advice,” Wike said. “If the leadership is truly committed, it should be able to admit mistakes, ask why things have gone wrong, and take corrective action.”
He warned that without decisive leadership and strategic rebuilding, the party’s chances in 2027 could be bleak.
“It is not enough to say you want to take over government; you must position yourself to do so. If things continue this way, by 2027 we may not make it. But are we prepared to allow the party to die?” he asked.
Wike stressed that the future of the PDP hinges entirely on the quality of its leadership, urging party leaders to begin rebuilding now, even if victory in 2027 appears uncertain.
The PDP has been grappling with deep internal divisions since the 2023 general elections, a crisis that has resulted in defections of key figures, including sitting governors, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
‘Amala Convention’ Jibe and Makinde Rift
During the interview, Wike also took a swipe at the PDP National Convention held on November 15 in Ibadan, Oyo State, derisively referring to it as the “Amala Convention.”
He accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of being overly ambitious and seeking total control of the party, alleging that the convention was conducted under an ex parte court order obtained in Ibadan to ensure it held.
The remarks further exposed the growing rift between Wike and Makinde, once close political allies, who have recently been at odds over the party’s direction.
On December 23, Governor Makinde publicly accused Wike of working to weaken the PDP in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged second-term ambitions.
Makinde made the allegation while recounting conversations he said involved President Tinubu and Wike, warning that such political manoeuvres pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
Speaking at a media briefing at the Government House in Ibadan, Makinde disclosed that President Tinubu had once asked him to help organise the APC in Oyo State — a request he said he firmly rejected due to his loyalty to the PDP.
“The President said, ‘No, Seyi, it is you I want to help me organise the APC in Oyo,’ and I replied, ‘No sir, I am PDP, and I can never help you organise APC in Oyo State,’” Makinde said.
He added that Nigeria would be in a far better position if the country were operating a government of national unity built on competence rather than partisan interests.
Makinde further alleged that during a meeting attended by President Tinubu, Wike, the President’s Chief of Staff, and other senior officials, the FCT minister openly offered to “hold the PDP” for the president ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to Makinde, the remark shocked him and reinforced his concerns about a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition parties and steer the country toward a one-party system.
The escalating war of words between two of the PDP’s most influential figures underscores the depth of the party’s internal crisis and raises fresh questions about its readiness for the 2027 electoral contest.
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